Obama Nominates McCarthy as Next EPA Administrator

President Barack Obama has nominated as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.

If she is confirmed by Congress, McCarthy will replace Lisa Jackson, who announced in late December that she would step down from the position.

President Obama called McCarthy a “straight shooter,” at a press conference and said, “I’m sure she will do an outstanding job at the EPA.”

Sharon Kneiss, president and CEO of Washington-based Environmental Industry Associations (EIA), said in a statement, “America's solid waste and recycling industry looks forward to working with the new EPA administrator after she is confirmed. Our industry is a vital part of America's environmental infrastructure, collecting and managing wastes, recyclables and compostables and producing energy from wastes. The companies that we represent have been revolutionizing the way that wastes and recyclables are collected, processed and ultimately disposed. We look forward to partnering with government when appropriate to continue our efforts to increase recovery of recycled and compostable materials, increase the amount of sustainable energy that we produce, and make our trucks more energy efficient.”

Michael Brune, executive director of the San Francisco-based Sierra Club, said in a statement, “We welcome the nomination of Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Assistant Administrator McCarthy has a strong record of protecting the health and safety of millions of Americans by limiting dangerous pollution in our air and supporting programs that help get America's kids outside.”